9/26/2013 |
Gomez suspended one game for fracasBrewers center fielder Carlos Gomez drew a one-game suspension from Major League Baseball for his role in inciting a benches-clearing incident Wednesday night in Atlanta.

9/26/2013 |
Leadership to be Helton's enduring legacyThe standing ovation that said it all about retiring Rockies first baseman Todd Helton didn't come from a stadium full of fans earlier this week. It came from a clubhouse full of teammates in 2007.

9/26/2013 |
Giants to increase security after fatal stabbingThe Giants will increase security and observe a moment of silence before Thursday night's game at AT&T Park to honor the memory of Jonathan Denver, a 24-year-old Dodgers fan stabbed to death during a fight following Wednesday night's Giants-Dodgers game in San Francisco.

9/26/2013 |
Home-field advantage on the line in A's final stretchOakland's second consecutive loss to the Angels on Wednesday, coupled with Boston's win in Colorado, gives the Red Sox a cozy two-game lead over the A's for the American League's best record and the right to play the winner of the AL Wild Card Game, with just three games to be played by both clubs following Thursday's off-day.

9/26/2013 |
Tale of three Cubs: Rondon, Watkins, BoscanOne was a Rule 5 Draft pick who has evolved into a candidate the be the Cubs' setup man next year. Another didn't get many big league at-bats, but considers this season to have been one of his best. And another feels blessed just to still be in baseball. This tale of three Cubs is about how the 2013 season impacted Hector Rondon, Logan Watkins and J.C. Boscan.

9/26/2013 |
New to playoff party, Pirates figure to stay awhileThe Pirates' 2013 postseason journey could be short-lived. We don't know whether they'll take or miss that first step, which most likely will be the Wild Card Game on Tuesday against the Reds -- the history of first-time playoff teams is not encouraging. But their new era of contention will go on.

9/26/2013 |
Eleven more wins: Tigers' focus on World Series winIt took 93 victories for Detroit to hold off Cleveland and clinch its third consecutive division title. It takes seven more to escape the American League bracket of the postseason, and the Tigers are focused to achieving what they couldn't last year -- a World Series championship.

9/26/2013 |
Selig will retire as Commissioner in January 2015Commissioner Bud Selig, who changed the face of Major League Baseball while leading the sport into an era of unprecedented popularity and prosperity, will formally step down from the office in January 2015.

9/26/2013 |
Despite wild finishes, AL Wild Card unchangedWith only one weekend left and only one race playing out under October-or-bust implications, the final innings of the 2013 regular season approach. As always, there's a good dose of suspense with the 2,430-game marathon drawing to a close and an opportunity for a World Series title up for grabs as the Pulse of the Postseason ticks toward October.

9/26/2013 |
Valle makes good on promise to fight poverty in DRDave Valle and his wife, Vicky, started Esperanza International as a response to the commitment they made while seeing widespread poverty in the Dominican Republic during his stint playing winter ball there in 1985.

9/26/2013 |
Rivera's No. 42 jersey is MLB's most popularMariano Rivera's retirement after Sunday's regular-season finale will mean that no active player will be assigned No. 42 again. And the Yankees' iconic closer will go out as owner of the most popular jersey in the game.

9/26/2013 |
Crain still not feeling 100 percentJesse Crain hasn't pitched since warming up on Monday, and it's possible that the veteran, acquired in July, might not throw for the Rays this season.

9/26/2013 |
Cincinnati could find magic in OctoberMany people's favorite to win it all heading into the season, the Reds have created one weird vibe in 2013. While they've won 90 games, something that should be respected, it just hasn't felt this season like Cincinnati is a team of destiny. But that could certainly turn on a dime.

9/26/2013 |
Cards should not be overlookedAnyone who underestimates the St. Louis Cardinals in either September or October is making a mistake, not to mention repeating a mistake that has already been made.

9/26/2013 |
Potential postseason X-factors ready to bust outIt seems that as long as there's been baseball in October, there has been a key ingredient to a title team that comes from an unexpected place: an X-factor who somehow decides to play the best baseball of his life in the chilly air in front of packed crowds with the biggest stakes in the game on the line. So who's it gonna be this year?

9/26/2013 |
Cano loves Yankees, but future uncertainRobinson Cano has been reluctant to talk about his contract situation for most of the year, but when he takes his position at second base on Thursday, the Yankees star acknowledges that it could be for the last time in pinstripes.